“Does your toddler ever wake up in the middle of the night? If so, what do they want and how do you deal with it?“

I am grateful to be able to say that Katie has been a pretty good sleeper from the beginning. She has regularly slept through the night since she was about 3 months old.She tried to even when she was a month old, but she was having so much trouble gaining weight during those early weeks that we had to wake her to make her eat!

A tuckered-out 16-month-old Katie back in August

Shortly before Victoria was born, and ever since, she’ll occasionally have a couple nights in a row when she wakes up, usually very sad, almost scared. I think she has a vivid imagination that works its way into her dreams. If I ask her what’s wrong, she’ll often say, “Bad guy!”Sometimes I think she just says that because in all her “stories,” if the princess is crying, it’s because of “the bad guy.”Either way, it’s sad!

Since we’ve been working on potty training, she will sometimes wake up saying, “MAMA! Potty!” over and over again, until I drag my bleary-eyed self in there and help her to the bathroom.I try to keep as quiet as possible and let her get the business done. If I talk to her too much or start to tell her a story, (as she almost always requests,) she starts to think it’s an awesome late-night party!She usually asks me to sing Amazing Grace to her. Then I get her a drink and we snuggle for a minute before I set her back in her crib.

I am usually pleading with God this whole time that her hollering and chatter will not wake up Victoria, who sleeps in the same room.God must love me, ’cause in the last two months of them sharing a room, I can honestly say that they’ve woken each other up no more than 5 or 6 times!

In the mornings, when I hear Katie waking up, I usually leave her alone for 5 minutes or more before I go in there.She needs her space to fully wake up.

Otherwise, I get this:

Already not a morning person at 14 months

Can you tell she hasn’t had her coffee yet?

If I let her wake up a bit and then bounce in there with a cheery “Good morning!” everything’s good.

Great Pictures – Love the last one! So heartbreaking she has nightmares! But I love that she is asking you to go potty in the middle of the night! Go Katie!Thanks for another great suggestion – I am adding it to the list!EmilyFamily and Life in Las Vegas

I remember these fun times. My first daughter was good after waking up. My second child loved to sleep and I would have to make noises to wake her up and she would be all smiles. I miss those crib days. Seems like they went by way to fast.